


Haunted

by IsisKitsune



Series: Prompt Fics [8]
Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Ghosts, Impied mental health issues, M/M, Prompt Fic, ghost!coulson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-07
Updated: 2012-10-07
Packaged: 2017-11-15 19:07:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/530696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsisKitsune/pseuds/IsisKitsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce blinked up at the slightly transparent, shimmering image several feet away from him. He rubbed his eyes and set his glasses down, the image stayed the same, with the exception of the odd static that went through it. “JARVIS, shut down all holograms please.”</p>
<p>Three screens went blank as the projectors shut down, leaving Bruce still staring at the image of the man standing some distance away. “JARVIS, I said all of them.”</p>
<p>“That was all of them Dr. Banner. Perhaps your eyes are ‘playing tricks’? You have been up nearly 30 hours straight. Might I suggest rest?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sleep… Must be some sort of subconscious dream bleeding through or something,” Bruce rambled as he walked straight at the image, intending to prove to himself it wasn’t real. To his surprise, the image stepped back to let him past. “Huh?”</p>
<p>The man’s lips were moving, no sound, like some sort of sketchy silent film before the image faded completely. Okay, sleep. He was going to sleep before whatever this was got worse. A random, sane, thought had him wondering if maybe he’d fallen asleep at his lab table and he was already dreaming…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a [Prompt](http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/4305.html?thread=3172049#t3172049)

Bruce blinked up at the slightly transparent, shimmering image several feet away from him. He rubbed his eyes and set his glasses down, the image stayed the same, with the exception of the odd static that went through it. “JARVIS, shut down all holograms please.”

Three screens went blank as the projectors shut down, leaving Bruce still staring at the image of the man standing some distance away. “JARVIS, I said all of them.”

“That was all of them Dr. Banner. Perhaps your eyes are ‘playing tricks’? You have been up nearly 30 hours straight. Might I suggest rest?”

“Yeah, sleep… Must be some sort of subconscious dream bleeding through or something,” Bruce rambled as he walked straight at the image, intending to prove to himself it wasn’t real. To his surprise, the image stepped back to let him past. “Huh?”

The man’s lips were moving, no sound, like some sort of sketchy silent film before the image faded completely. Okay, sleep. He was going to sleep before whatever this was got worse. A random, sane, thought had him wondering if maybe he’d fallen asleep at his lab table and he was already dreaming…

-

The next morning when Bruce had gotten breakfast he heard Clint’s voice call out, “morning.”

“Goodmor-“ Bruce dropped his plate when he turned and saw the same image, this time more vivid, from the night before. “Clint,” he said in a somewhat collected voice as the image just smiled at Clint’s worried expression before it shimmered out of existence. “Nevermind…” Bruce decided he needed to get a psych eval. The only question was how would he bring it up to Fury, or should he even bring this up to SHIELD at all? Would they decide to just throw him in the cage if they knew he thought he was losing it?

“Are you okay Bruce?”

“Yeah,” Bruce automatically responded while rubbing his eyes and crouching down to clean up the mess.

“Why don’t I get that? Wouldn’t want you cutting yourself.”

“I’m not a child Clint, I can take care of myself.” Clint backed off but kept a close eye on the unnerved doctor.

-

Battle! Noise, lights, enemies. Smash! Hulk might as well have been in heaven when Bruce had set him free. He didn’t like the odd things that tried to jump on him, metal crunched under his grip when he smashed and threw them off. “HULK!” Hulk turned at his name, dropping something that screamed like it but crunched like stone. “Help,” green eyes settled on the image standing in front of him. Suit man pointed up, and Hulk instantly turned. “Help Clint!”

Hulk saw Bird man about to fall and just gave an annoyed grunt but jumped up to help him. “Bird man need learn fly,” Hulk grunted at when Clint grabbed his arm when he was caught.

“Yeah big green, I guess I do. Thanks for catching me,” though Clint was a little unnerved at the impromptu grab and carrying he still patted Hulk’s arm to show he wasn’t going to try to hurt him. Even if it was just his own nerves he was trying to sooth.

“No thank Hulk. Suit man told Hulk help,” Clint stumbled when Hulk suddenly dropped him to the ground before jumping back into the battle.

“Suit man?” Clint rolled his eyes, Hulk must have meant Stark.

-

“Stop fucking thanking me, you’re a figment of my imagination,” Bruce shouted at the man standing in front of him, getting nothing but a sorrowful apologetic look in return. “I know I’m losing it, it was only a matter of time. This has to be a latent response to the gamma exposure. How it could take this many years to show any symptoms of it-”

“Dr Banner,” Bruce looks up at the voice. “Are you well sir?”

Bruce let out a broken laugh, he was scaring JARVIS. Great, Tony was going to kill him. “Yeah, yeah, I’m just. Having a really bad day.”

Tony showed up less than an hour later, “JARVIS said you were talking to yourself. And not in the normal ‘my ideas are too numerous and hot to keep inside my brain’ kind.” Bruce shivered under the arms wrapped around his shoulders as Tony set his chin on his head. “Wanna talk?”

“I’m seeing things, I’m hearing things, I’m losing my mind and I know somehow it’s all the other guy’s fault. Need any more info?”

“What do you mean, you’re seeing and hearing things?” Tony pulled away to circle around, watching him. Bruce suddenly felt like he should expect something sharp…

“I’ve been seeing this man, he’s- I don’t know who he is. He’s not always there but he’s around a lot. It’s like he’s trying to watch over everyone or something.” Bruce snapped to attention when the image shimmered into existence behind Tony. “He’s… he’s right behind you…”

The image smiled, shimmering before shaking his head, “He can’t see or hear me Bruce. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, damnit, explain why the hell it has to be ME you’re haunting!” Tony jumped at the sudden outburst as green eyes flared at seemingly nothing

“I’m not haunting you Dr. Banner. I’m merely keeping my post. I was supposed to look after the Avengers and I… I failed.”

“Bruce,” he blinked over at Tony. “Come on, I think you need to get out of the lab for awhile. Socialize. Maybe that’ll help us figure out why you’re seeing things.”

Honestly, Bruce didn’t want to, but what could it hurt to try?

-

Hulk waited until after everything worthy of smashing was, well, smashed before shoving the remains of a car out of his way and sitting down. “Why scare Banner?” He asked at the suit man smiling at him and shaking his head.

“I don’t mean to. He doesn’t understand. Which, actually, it’s kind of weird that you do.”

“Hulk use to seeing smashed people,” Hulk stumbled over the word ‘smashed’ not really having any other word to use at that time.

“Hulk,” Tony landed nearby, Hulk just smiled and turned back to the suit man. “You seeing someone big guy?”

“Suit man,” Hulk signaled to where the man was, knowing Tony couldn’t see him and for once not being mad at the confused look he got once Tony’s visor was up.

“Okay… does suit man have a name?” Tony’s eyes swept the area Hulk was watching, trying to find something he could make sense of.

“Phil,” suit man responded, smirking and looking up at Hulk. “Tell him Phil.”

“Suit man says Phil.” Hulk was confused at the sudden wide eyed look that got him. “Tony okay?”

“Big guy, you said Phil… as in Phil Coulson?”

Hulk looked at suit man who nodded, “He say yes. What mean?”

“It means I need to talk to Bruce… Sorry big guy, but the fun part’s over with anyway so unless you want to help with paperwork?”

Hulk grunted before sighing and beginning to change back. “Bruce, come on, stay with me for a minute,” Bruce grumbled at the soft shaking, “Bruce I think Hulk can see ghosts…”

“Tony, tired, quit shaking me… Huh? What about ghosts?”

“I think Hulk, and you, can see them.”

Bruce grumbled and focused on him before blinking over at the man that had been haunting the tower for weeks. “Ghost?”

“Yes,” the man admitted before shrugging and fading out of existence.

“Fuck… when am I ever going to get a break?”

“I think this qualifies as one big guy, at least we know you’re not insane.”

“So, what brought up the idea of ghosts?”

“Hulk said Phil was here.”

Bruce blinked, “Agent Coulson, Phil?”

“Yeah, are you saying you didn’t even recognize him?!”

“Tony, I never met him. I mean, yeah I might have been in the same room as him once but I never put a face with the name. Only the fact he was the one responsible for Natasha tracking me down.”

“Okay,” Tony fumbled, pulling a phone from god knows where to show Bruce an image.

“Tony I don’t have my glasses,” Bruce grumbled and held the phone away until he could get a clear image. “That… that’s him. He really is… oh my god. Ghosts… Ugh, why is it always me?”

“I don’t know big guy, but let’s get you dressed and out of here so we can figure it out.”

-

Bruce was pacing, honestly given the circumstances Tony couldn’t blame him. But it didn’t stop him from saying, “Big guy, calm down. You’re not crazy!”

“Tony, even he’s seeing things… How long has this gone on? How many people has he hurt because of some delusion?!”

“Bruce, think about it? Hulk never knew Phil, hell I don’t even think he heard of him until today. There’s got to be some explanation. Maybe the gamma amplified some long forgotten primal ability that humans have.”

“Tony, the other guy isn’t human. More importantly, if this is bleeding over to ME this has to be some sort of psychosis. That has to be it. I’ve finally lost it…”

“Bruce, you didn’t even know who the fuck it was you were seeing until the guy TOLD you. How the hell is that a psychosis?”

“I don’t know, laden memory? Subconscious? I don’t know…”

Tony grabbed his arm, spooking him out of his pacing. “Bruce, calm down. There’s got to be an explanation for this. Just let us figure it out before you go grabbing the Lithium okay?”

Bruce grumbled, jolting when Phil suddenly agreed, “You, stay the hell out of this!” Tony sighed at the pointing, before throwing a shrug in the direction Bruce was pointing. “And stop acting like he’s THERE! You can’t see him, quit trying to make it worse!”

Tony thought about it, smirking, “Phil, tell Bruce what I always called you.”

“Called me? You mean the crack about my first name being ‘Agent’?” Phil looked confused before smirking.

“He’s rambling about you calling him ‘Agent’, like everyone doesn’t do that…”

“Any of that conversation involve ‘first name Agent’ Coulson?” Bruce blinked, the look was enough to make Tony smirk. “You never heard me say that before, have you? And that’s exactly what he said, isn’t it?” Bruce nodded, a total dumbstruck look on his face. “Want to let me figure out why the hell you can see dead people?” Bruce nodded again, this time giving in. “Okay, that’s better, now tell Agent ‘Agent’ to take a hike, would you?” Tony smirked and pulled him in closer.

Bruce glanced over, but it seemed Phil had already taken the hint. “He’s gone… and one Sixth Sense joke and I’m out of here too.”

“Now would I do something that mean?”

“Yes.”

Tony faux pouted before smirking and hugging Bruce close. “No, not even I am that mean.”

-

Bruce was grumbling, worried, on edge, the moment Tony even thought of suggesting going to Fury about this. All it took was a look and he knew what was going through that mile a second brain of his and he refused. Flat out… But here he was, outside Fury’s office, trying to calm his nerves. “Tony, this isn’t…”

“Bruce, you turn into the jolly green giant on steroids, seeing ghosts isn’t going to be the reason they cage you.” True enough, too bad Tony didn’t have any other way of getting that point across.

“Alright, just,” Tony smiled and gripped his arm, he’d be there. Regardless of what happened.

Bruce nodded and reached to knock on the door, Tony rolled his eyes and slammed open the door before Bruce’s hand could reach. “Fury, we’ve got a new development in the Hulk department.”

“I honestly do not want to know how long he lasts in bed… ever!” Tony just smirked while Bruce blinked, so much for ‘them’ being a secret.

“It’s, it’s nothing like that,” Bruce mumbled nervously, suddenly a small spec of dirt under his nail became very important…

“Alright, what is it then?”

“Bruce has been seeing Phil.”

“Funny, I thought Coulson was with Barton,” Fury stated, shrugging.

“No Popeye, I mean, Bruce has been seeing the ghost of Agent Coulson!”

Fury actually snorted at that, “That’s impossible…”

“I thought the same thing but it’s true,” Bruce mumbled.

“No, I mean- Coulson isn’t dead. He’s been in a coma since the attack.”

Bruce blinked, Tony gaped at him, “Phil’s ALIVE, and you never thought to fucking TELL us?!” Bruce swung a hand out, his palm striking Tony in the center of his chest before the man could make a dive for the director.

“You needed incentive.”

“I’m going to put my foot so far up your ass,” Bruce sighed at Tony’s rambling of threats but kept his hand against his chest in warning.

Bruce rolled his eyes as Tony still rambled, “I want to see him. Now.”

Fury blinked at the demand before nodding, Tony finally fell silent. “Alright.”

-

Bruce was staring… Actually it was starting to creep Tony out, because it wasn’t at the unconscious man in the bed he was staring at, it was the wall across from him. “Can I have some time alone?”

Fury just raise his brow at him before nodding and leaving, not that Bruce trusted the man as far as he (not Hulk) could throw him to not have some sort of camera in the room. “Tony, you’re not leaving?”

“Hell no, it’s okay,” Bruce’s eye ticked as the man standing on the other side of the bed smiled at Tony plopping down in the chair. “So, Agent’s standing over there isn’t he?”

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe I’ve actually missed that,” Phil said, Bruce sighed and shook his head while looking over his charts.

“Why are you still here? You’ve obviously given up. Your vitals are getting worse, I wouldn’t be surprised if Fury pulled the plug.” Tony jerked upright at that, looking worried.

“I… I can’t. I’m still needed here.”

“Then why are you haunting us instead of trying to find a way to go back to your body?!” The chart was slammed down onto the nearby table, making it rattle. Phil actually jumped, Bruce’s eyes shot over the sudden spike in heart rate. “Huh, seems I have a talent for making you SHIELD agents jumpy…”

“You have a talent for making anyone with half a brain cell jumpy,” Coulson mumbled, casting eyes toward a completely at ease Tony.

Bruce actually chuckled. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

Phil sighed, looking toward the floor. “I didn’t want to leave you all alone that long. I was put in charge of looking out for you and I failed once. I wouldn’t fail again.”

“So instead of waking up, you decided to be a completely incorporeal entity hell bent on driving me insane? What if the Other Guy thought you were a threat?! He could have hurt a lot of people just because he couldn’t smash you!”

“He seemed calmer about the ordeal than you, Dr. Banner.”

Bruce’s eye actually twitched as he glared at the shrugging ghost/agent. “That’s not the point…”

“You’re right, it’s not.”

“Do us all a favor Phil,” Bruce waved over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. “Decide already.”

Clint got a phone call less than four hours later. Bruce blinked at him when he smiled and shot out of the room like a bat out of hell. It seemed Phil woke up…

-

Bruce groaned as he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples. “Headache Dr. Banner?”

“Bruce, Phil, how many times do I have to tell you?” Phil shrugged and suddenly his cereal bowl became more interesting than the conversation. “Sorry, I’m just having a bad day.”

Tony smirked and set a cup of water in front of him with some pain relievers. “How bad is it today Oda Mae?”

Bruce glared after Tony as he walked away, “Fuck you!”

“Hey, you didn’t say anything about-“

“Shut up already!”

Tony flinched back at the sudden green hue to his eyes before he took a deep breath, forcing it away. “Hey, look at it this way. At least they’re not singing-“

“You give them one fucking idea, Tony, and I swear to God-“

“Shutting up,” Tony rambled, smiling. Who knew the guy actually had that much self preservation?

Bruce sighed at the sudden silence before Tony started humming and then he roared and stomped out of the room. “For the love of…”

Tony was trying to stifle his laughter.


End file.
